Various software applications may involve the collection of data or other input from users, forms or documents that users may need to fill out, and/or a sequence of steps that the users may need to follow. The users of these applications may encounter various difficulties when interacting with the user interfaces presented by the applications. In some cases, the difficulty for a user may be such that the user may actually abandon the application. Conventionally, at least some vendors of software applications have collected “after the fact” data from the users of their products in the form of customer calls, chats, product feedback, etc. that may provide some information about where in the applications the users encountered difficulties. An example of such a software application is a tax preparation program.
Tax preparation software programs (hereinafter referred to as “tax programs”) are available that assist tax preparers in preparing accurate tax returns and other tax forms for filing by or on behalf of a taxable entity with a governmental entity, e.g., a Federal, State, county, city, district, and/or other municipality (hereinafter collectively referred to as tax authorities). These tax programs guide the tax preparer through tax return processes for various tax authorities, and may automatically perform necessary tax preparations in accordance with data input and forms, schedules, tax data, tables, and formulas stored with or coded into the program. Personal and professional versions of tax programs may be offered. Professional versions may be used by tax one or more preparation professionals to prepare various tax returns for multiple taxable entities. Further, these tax programs may be used to prepare annual taxes, quarterly taxes, etc for filing with various tax authorities by or on behalf of taxable entities.
Typically, the tax preparer will enter necessary data and information via the user interface of the tax program, and, when done, access the user interface to direct the tax program to complete the tax return under preparation. The tax program may perform any necessary calculations using the entered data and information and in accordance with tax formulas relevant to the particular tax return under preparation (e.g. Federal tax return, State tax return, local tax return, etc.), and possibly data and information from other sources such as previous tax returns or other tax-related documents, to generate appropriate calculated values for certain fields of the tax return under preparation.
The completed tax return may indicate that the taxable entity owes taxes to the tax authority or that the taxable entity is owed a tax refund from the tax authority. The tax return may then be filed (electronically or conventionally) with the tax authority. If taxes are due, the tax amount may be, but is not necessarily, paid to the tax authority by the taxable entity at the time of filing. Conventionally, the tax payment may be transferred electronically or alternatively may be paid by check. If a refund is due, the refund amount may be paid to the taxable entity by the tax authority either electronically to an account (e.g., a bank account) of the taxable entity or by check.
The users of tax programs (tax preparers) may encounter various difficulties when preparing their tax return documents. In some cases, the difficulty for a user may be such that the user may actually abandon the tax program. Conventionally, at least some vendors of tax programs have collected data from these users of their products “after the fact” in the form of customer calls, chats, product feedback, etc. that may provide some information about where in the tax programs the users encountered difficulties.